Fred Matiang’i has gone quiet at a time when the country expected him to speak up. His silence after the Saba Saba protests, where police killed 31 Gen Z protesters, has shocked many.
As someone who once served as Interior Cabinet Secretary and now positions himself as a 2027 presidential hopeful, this silence is not just disappointing it is deeply troubling.
Many thought Matiang’i would step up and condemn the bloodshed. Instead, there have been no press briefings, no tweets, no messages of solidarity with the victims’ families.
At a time when Kenya is bleeding, Matiang’i has chosen to stay out of sight, and that silence is being read as betrayal.
Even worse, Matiang’i failed to attend the burial of Boniface Kariuki, a young hawker who was shot dead during the earlier protests.
Other opposition leaders like Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Eugene Wamalwa showed up in Murang’a to stand with the people.
Matiang’i was nowhere to be seen. That absence says a lot. It shows a man who either doesn’t care or is too scared to confront the reality of state brutality.
Whichever it is, it’s a poor show for someone who wants to lead a country that is demanding justice and accountability.
People have started noticing a pattern. Matiang’i’s speeches now appear too safe, too careful, almost as if they are designed not to offend President William Ruto.
It’s almost as if he’s trying to play both sides. But this is not the time for fence-sitting. When Ruto and his Interior Cabinet Secretary gave open orders for police to shoot unarmed protesters in the legs, real leadership meant standing up and saying that’s wrong.
Instead, Matiang’i chose silence, and that silence now looks like he’s trying to normalize police killings. That is a betrayal of every young Kenyan who marched in the streets for change.
Raila Odinga, even with all his flaws, came out strongly to defend the rights of protesters and demand action. Matiang’i did not.
That comparison is not flattering. It raises real doubts about whether Matiang’i has the backbone needed to take on the system, or whether he is simply another politician hoping to rise through it.
His reluctance to speak out might be part of a strategy to protect his 2027 chances, but that strategy is backfiring. It’s making him look weak, dishonest, and disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Kenyans.
The phrase “Ruto Must Go!!” is not just about removing a president it’s about removing a system of fear, violence, and silence.
If Matiang’i can’t speak out now, when people are being killed for demanding better, then he has no business asking for our votes in 2027.
Kenya needs leaders who are present, vocal, and bold. Not ones who disappear when things get tough. Fred Matiang’i has shown us where he stands, and it’s not with the people.
